Alma 26

“My brothers, we have good reason to rejoice,” “How could we have imagined when we started out that God would have granted us such blessings? The Lamanites were in darkness and we brought them the light of God. We were instruments in God’s hands to accomplish this great work. Thousands of them now rejoice at having been brought into God’s company. The field was ripe. We thrust the sickle and reaped the harvest. Now God will raise them up on the last day. Let us sing praise to God and give thanks to him because he does righteous work forever. Had we not come to them, these dearly beloved people would still be filled with hatred against us, and would be strangers to God.”

“Your joy sounds a lot like boasting, to me,” said Aaron.

“I do not boast in my own strength, or wisdom,” replied Ammon. “My heart is filled with the joy of God. I know that I am nothing. I know that I am weak and do not boast of my own strength. I do boast of my God, because in his strength I can do all things. Look at the miracles we have performed in this land, in God’s name. Look at how many thousands of people God has released from the pains of hell. All of this is because of the power of his word which is in us. Don’t we have good reason to rejoice?

“I say we have reason to praise God forever for releasing these people from the chains of hell. They were surrounded with darkness and destruction. Now, he has brought them into everlasting light and salvation, surrounded by the bounty of God’s love. We have been instruments in accomplishing this great and marvelous work. So, let us glory with God’s joy and give him our praise. How could we glory too much in God? How can we say too much about his great power and mercy, about his suffering on behalf of all men? I cannot speak the smallest part of what I feel.

“Look at how he snatched us from our awful and sinful state, as well. Do you remember how angry we were when we ourselves threatened to destroy his church? Why weren’t we consigned to destruction and doomed to eternal despair? I shudder at the thought. Rather than exercising his justice on us, he showed mercy and brought us across the gulf of death and misery to the salvation of our souls. Nobody knows this except those who have been saved. Those who repent, exercise faith, do good works, and pray ceaselessly are allowed to know the mysteries of God. Things are revealed to them which are hidden to others, just as we have brought thousands of souls to repentance.

“Do you remember how we were laughed at and scorned when we proposed going to the land of Nephi and preaching to the Lamanites? Do you remember what they said to us? ‘Do you really think you can bring the knowledge of truth to the Lamanites? Do you really think you can convince those stubborn Lamanites that their ancestral traditions are wrong? Those people take pleasure in killing others and spend their days reveling in sin. Let’s pick up our weapons and destroy them, instead. Let’s drive their sinfulness out of the land before they come and destroy us.’

“But look what happened. We came not to destroy but to try and save a few souls. When we were discouraged and ready to turn back, God came and comforted us. ‘Go among the Lamanites,’ he said. ‘Have patience with your suffering, and I will give you success.’ By following his advice and working with the mercy, power, and wisdom of God to teach them, we were delivered from the suffering we were subjected to.

“We suffered patiently through all sorts of things in the hopes of finding joy through saving some of them. Now, we can look at the fruit of our labors. Are they few? No. We saved many, and can see the sincerity of their salvation through their love for one another. Has there ever been love so great in all the land? No. Not even among the Nephites, who would take up weapons to kill their fellow men. Never would the Nephites lay down their lives and allow themselves to be killed. Look at how many people we saw who laid down their lives and went to God because of their love, and their hatred of sin.

“Do we have reason to rejoice? Yes, I say to you. Never have any men had such good reason since the world began. I am carried away with joy to the point of boasting about my God because of his power and wisdom. He understands everything and shows his mercy by giving salvation to those who repent and believe in his name. If this is boasting, then I will boast. This is my life and my light, my joy and salvation, my redemption from eternal misery. Blessed is the name of my God, who has kept his people in mind, the descendants of Israel. Even we, who are a branch cut off from the main tree of Israel, are tended by God as we wander in this strange land. Likewise, God is mindful of all his people, wherever they wander on this earth. This is my joy, and my thanksgiving. I give thanks to my God, forever.”